Bearing seal



y mg 1951 H. JENSEN 2,559,964

BEARING SEAL Filed Oct. 17, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l I n1 vE/v roe l/mvsJena-w firromvex Jufly W, 1951 H. JENSEN 2,559,964

BEARING SEAL Filed Oct. 17, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fie. 2. 196- 3;

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Patented July 10, 1 951 BEARING SEAL Ilans Jensen, Arlington Heights,11]., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Rotary Seal Company, Chicago,111., a corporation of Illinois Application October 17, 1945, Serial No.622,721

1 Claim. 1 My invention relates to bearing seals and similar devices.

My invention relates more particularly to sealing devices or sealingmeans adapted to form a fluid seal between two relatively rotated parts.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved bearing seal for preventing the leakage of fluid past bearingsurfaces or relatively rotary parts.

A further object of the present invention is to provide such a seal thatis very eflicient in operation and capable of being constructed with aminimum of Darts.

Heretofore great difiiculty has been encountered in preventing liquid orfluid contained in a housing that supports a rotating shaft fromescaping from the housing alon the shaft. This difliculty is encounteredparticularly in automotive constructions such as automotive waterpumpsin which the housing contains lubricant for minimizing friction betweenthe moving parts and the bearings therefor. The same difficulty arisesin pump and fluid motor constructions of various types, in compressorsfor refrigerators, in pumps and other mechanisms for use in handlingmilk or other materials, and in a great many other industries than thosementioned. While various constructions have been proposed to obviate thedifliculty just referred to, such constructions have not generally beenentirely satisfactory. One type of sealing device at present on themarket contemplates the provision of bellows to hold the sealing deviceagainst the bearing surface. These devices have been unsatisfactory forthe reason that because of the action of the shaft in the housing andits variation from a single plane, the sealin memher is moved about withthe shaft, causing the bellows to crack after a very short life. Anotherobjection to various types of sealin devices at present on the marketlies in the fact that they are comparatively large and composed of agreat number of parts. This naturally diminishes their desirability foruse in locations where the space is small and also in places whererepair or replacement requires the dismantling of a considerable part ofa machine.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a bearing sealthat is so constructed that regardless of the hard and rough usage whichit receives, it will not easily wear out or become broken.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention,

the principal object is to provide an improved bearing seal of a typewherein the flexible memher which thrusts the bearing nose against abearing surface under resilient pressure is carried by a flange sleevethat is fixedly secured to the mechanism surrounding the shaft, so thatthe only strain upon the flexible member is that which is imparted bythe longitudinal movement of the shaft.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a bearing seal of thetype described a combination wherein the flange sleeve has a positivedrive for rotary movement of the bearing nose directly connected theretoso that the only strain that is placed upon the diaphragm results fromthe longitudinal movement of the shaft.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a bearing sealof the type described that can be readily secured or positioned orremoved from an installation without disturbing the shaft, the bearingin which the shaft rotates or other associated parts.

Other objects and advantages will be more apparent from the followingdescription wherein reference is bad to the accompanying two sheets ofdrawings upon which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a compressor or other pumpmechanism housing showing a rotating shaft extending from the housingwith my improved bearing seal mounted in operative position thereon.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view of the bearing nose andassociated parts taken on the lines 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view through the bearing seal assembly andshaft taken generally on the lines 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of the bearing nose.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the bearing sleeve;and

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view of a modified form of construction.

In the embodiment of the invention which I have chosen to illustrate anddescribe, I have shown'a rotatable shaft II which has an enlargedportion I 3 that extends through the vertical wall l5 of a housingwithin which fluid under pressure may be present, the shaft beingmounted in a suitable bearing I1 in the housin wall. The shaft mayextend through an enlarged opening I9 in the portion 2| of the wall I5and through an opening 23 in a cover plate 25 that is positioned overthe opening being secured thereto by suitable bolt members 21.

The flange sleeve 29 may have a tubular portion 3| telescopicallymounted over the shaft II and adapted to cooperate with a band 32 thatrigidly fastens the portion 33 of the diaphragm 35 therebetween. Thediaphragm 35 may be formed with the lateral flange 31 having a groovetherein to provide additional movement thereto and a shoulder 39 whichis positioned against an annular ledge ll of the bearing nose 43. Abacking plate 45 completes the assembly and the backing plate diaphragmand bearing nose are assembled together in a metal shell 41 which has anopening 49 through which the bearing nose protrudes and a curled overportion i to enclose the backing Plate 45.

Means for holding this assembly as a unit against a shoulder seal 53comprises a plurality of coiled spring members 55 which are seated insuitable pockets 51 in a collar 59 that surrounds the tubular portion 3|of the flange sleeve 29. The shoulder seal 53 may be constructed of anysuitable bearing material and include a flexible collar 6| by means ofwhich the same is held on the shaft H and rotates therewith.

Means other than the diaphragm 35 are provided for holding the bearingnose 43 against rotation. This means may include a pair of slots 63 inthe bore 65 through the bearing nose and a pair of arms 51 which extendforward from the flange portion 3| and engage in the slots.

With this construction, it can be seen that the bearing seal assemblyholds the bearing nose against rotation so that a seal may be obtainedon the lapped faces of the bearing nose l3 and the sealing ring 53.Longitudinal movement of the shaft H and associated parts is permittedby means of the coiled spring members 55 yieldingly holding the bearingsurfaces together even though there may be longitudinal movement as theshaft is rotating.

In Fig. 6, I have shown a modification of construction wherein no collaris employed and a coiled spring 69 is employed in place of the pluralityof small compression springs 55. This construction may be employed whereless space is available to position a bearing seal and requires only thecurling out of the shell 41 at H to form a seat for the end of thecoiled spring 69.

While I have illustrated and described a specific embodiment of theinvention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changesand modifications may be made in the exact details shown and I do notwish to limit myself in any way; rather what I desire to secure andprotect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

A shaft seal for a rotating shaft member and a cooperating sleeve memberin which it extends, wherein one of said members carries means forming aseal seat, said shaft seal comprising a seal ring having a centralopening formed to encircle the shaft and to make running contact withsaid seal seat, a flexible diaphragm of resilient rubberlike materialcomprising a central sleeve-1ike portion providing an opening throughwhich the shaft may extend, and a peripheral portion extending at theouter edge of the seal ring, retaining means clampingly securing theperipheral portions of said seal ring and diaphragm, mounting meanssecured on the other of said members and formed to encircle the shaftmember and to clampingly engage the central sleeve-like portions of saiddiaphragm to secure the same upon said other member, means forming aspline finger on and projecting from said other member and extending inposition within the central opening of the seal ring for splinedengagement therewith for preventing relative rotation of said seal ringwhile allowing axial motion thereof with respect to said other member,and spring means supported on said other member in position bearing onsaid mounting means to urge the seal ring in a direction to engage withthe seal seat.

' HANS JENSEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

